Acadian Migration 35 
     
    
   
   
    
     officials at Ile Royale were greater in promises than 
     
     in performance. 
     
    

    
     Accordingly official France wavers between Ile 
     
     Royale and Isle Saint Jean, but favors the former 
     
     while urging removal at all events to French terri- 
     
     tory. On March 21, 1714, the Minister writes to 
     
     L’Hermitte, Acting Governor of Ile Royale: “If the 
     
     Acadians prefer to go to Isle St. Jean or to Baie des 
     
     Chaleurs, they must not be refused; the great thing 
     
     is that they should leave Acadia.”* 
     
    

    
     On March 23, 1714, he writes to Pére Justinien 
     
     expressing his regret at the difficulties which prevent 
     
     the Acadians removing to Ile Royale and urging 
     
     their migration thither rather than to the other 
     
     places suggested because in Ile Royale they will have 
     
     everything they desire: good lands, the best timber 
     
     in the world, splendid pastures and hay close to Baie 
     
     du Brador.® 
     
    

    
     In July, 1714, L’Hermitte sent La Ronde Denys 
     
     and de Pensens to negotiate with Governor Nichol- 
     
     son in regard to the removal of the Acadians. With 
     
     the latter’s consent and in the presence of the Gov- 
     
     ernor or his representatives the inhabitants of Port 
     
     Royal, Minas, and Cobequid were assembled and 
     
     almost unanimously agreed to migrate to Ile Roy- 
     
     ale. The total population of these three, together 
     
     with Beaubassin which was not visited and some 
     
     straggling settlements, was estimated at 2400. 
     
    

    
     But in spite of their amicable agreement and their 
     
    
   
   
    
     4B, Vol. 36. 
     
     5 [bid.